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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Environment
Alaina Demopoulos

‘Emus can break bones’: stop buying giant birds on a whim, farmers warn

Emu looks over fence
An emu at Thunderhorse Hollow Farm in New York state. Photograph: Kymara Curtis/Thunderhorse Hollow Farm

Tammy Shull, the owner of Moonlight Valley Farms in Aspers, Pennsylvania, makes a living selling emu chicks across the country. The flightless birds, native to Australia, cost about $200 for “standard” black and brown colors, while the rarer white variety can cost up to $850. Emus are a big part of Shull’s life. But hear her plea: people, please stop buying them because they’re cute on social media.

“Recent viral videos definitely created an awareness of emus and their antics,” Shull said. “We are finding many folks are getting emus on a whim and not doing the proper research before obtaining these large birds.”

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